COMPAS DE NICARAGUA
Women in Action Share stories about affects of unrest
(The Women in Action members wished to remain anonymous, so we are not including their names in the following statements.)
Women in Action member #1
“Since this all happened, I haven’t had work. I used to work washing clothes for a woman who has a kiosk at the Oriental (public market). However, the market closed several weeks ago due to fear of looting. So, since she isn’t working, she can’t pay me to wash her and her family’s clothes. I have 5 children and I am single, if were were barely eating before, now it is almost never. I am only working 1 or 2 days a week. I ask God to make this better, if the President has to leave he should leave without doing any harm, and if he stays, fine, because he has done so much for us. Because of this situation, many of us (WIA members) who made a loan from the microlending bank haven’t been able to make payments. I do hope the donors that have helped our project with this bank might forgive us and that you can understand—we have faith in God that when this all ends, we will be able to pay. We have faith that our bank will not be fold and that we can save it so that we can continue to get loans and in this way help our families. This bank has allowed us to prosper and survive tough times. We pray that this terrible situation will end soon.”
WIA Member #2
“I am a member of WIA and I think the current situation is very grave with everything that is happening. We are in a very bad situation and it we the poor who are suffering. I think we can come to an agreement and Daniel Ortega can sit down and dialogue so that we can find a solution, and the country can stop suffering. Because of the roadblocks, products are not being transported, and the basic cost of goods is now very high. Most lower income people cannot afford things. That is why we hope there can be diaologue and the president can sit down and reach and agreement. If he has to leave to stop the suffering then he should leave. And if he can stay, then good, because he has helped us too. Let’s just find what is best for the country.”
WIA Member #3
“My husband and son work in construction and they haven’t worked for a month. All the projects have stopped. Sometimes I feel stress seeing them all in the house with nothing to do. They have had to sell many of their tools so we can buy food. And my grandson needs his food and his milk and we as adults understand, we can go without food, but children don’t understand and can’t go without food.”
WIA Member #4
“My husband works unloading trucks. However, with the road blocks the trucks don’t arrive and there is no work. He said that he could quit his job and get severance pay so we can survive for now, but then he wonders if he can find another job later on. For now, he is keeping his job and just waiting until there is work. In the meantime we don’t have any food. On the news, there was a woman and her child up in a tree trying to avoid the violence.”
WIA Member #5
“I first, give thanks to God, because the word of God means that we have to always give thanks even in very difficult times, and what is happening is part of the word of God. The most important thing right now is the children because they suffer just like us. But adults—even if we don’t want to do something, in a hard situation, we haven’t taken money to participate in the roadblocks and haven’t participated in the looting of stores and supermarkets, some people do it because they need to feed 4 or more children and can’t let me die of hunger—what can they do? They are obligated to steal and I say I can understand in some ways. Sometimes we don’t have money for food, right now my grandson is not working but he finds some work here and there. But we haven’t fallen into that trap of taking money to work the roadblocks. We are just eating when we can, everything is more expensive. Now we can’t buy cheese because it is expensive, beans are really high, and sugar is 25 cordobas a pound (about US$.80), and people are starting to complain—how far is this going to go? Now we can’t afford basic supplies, now we can’t eat, and what can we do with the children? We adults can withstand hunger, we always have water at least. But the children? We hope this ends soon and we can find a peaceful solution.”
WIA Member #6
“Luckily my daughter is still working at a free trade zone. However, most days, armed men show up outside the factory, sometimes shooting at the factory and other times trying to close down the factory. They want to force us to participate in the strike. But so far, we workers have been able to fend these men off.”
WIA Member #7
“In my case, my husband hasn’t worked in about a month, because the construction projects have all stopped. I go around to different neighborhoods to find work washing clothes, but everyone says there isn’t any money. I found one house that said they could pay me for one day a week, but that doesn’t help much. Then I found work cleaning at a bar. I go at 8 and come back at 2:30 and she gives me 100 cordobas (about US$3.12). Sometimes I work for food and there is a women who will pay me with some food and basic supplies because she has a store. I tell people that I have no way to feed my children, I am not ashamed to ask and even beg people to give me some work cleaning or washing clothes. I will not just sit around while my children are hungry. So, I clean up the bar and wash clothes for food and that is what I can do. I hope everything gets better soon.”
WIA Member #8
“I am a Member of WIA and since the beginning of all this, there has been a big effect on the economy. For example, I have 3 children and I leave the city to sell clothing I make myself (on a sewing machine), but because of the roadblocks I cannot travel outside the city. I ask God to please bring a end to this crisis. I can’t work and I can’t feed my children. My husband works with his horse and buggy to transport construction materials for clients of a hardware store. The store is selling less and while he used to make 400 cordobas (about US$12,50) he now makes 100 (about US$3.12) a day. So, we can’t eat well with this salary. We hope and pray things will get better soon.”
Women in Action member #1
“Since this all happened, I haven’t had work. I used to work washing clothes for a woman who has a kiosk at the Oriental (public market). However, the market closed several weeks ago due to fear of looting. So, since she isn’t working, she can’t pay me to wash her and her family’s clothes. I have 5 children and I am single, if were were barely eating before, now it is almost never. I am only working 1 or 2 days a week. I ask God to make this better, if the President has to leave he should leave without doing any harm, and if he stays, fine, because he has done so much for us. Because of this situation, many of us (WIA members) who made a loan from the microlending bank haven’t been able to make payments. I do hope the donors that have helped our project with this bank might forgive us and that you can understand—we have faith in God that when this all ends, we will be able to pay. We have faith that our bank will not be fold and that we can save it so that we can continue to get loans and in this way help our families. This bank has allowed us to prosper and survive tough times. We pray that this terrible situation will end soon.”
WIA Member #2
“I am a member of WIA and I think the current situation is very grave with everything that is happening. We are in a very bad situation and it we the poor who are suffering. I think we can come to an agreement and Daniel Ortega can sit down and dialogue so that we can find a solution, and the country can stop suffering. Because of the roadblocks, products are not being transported, and the basic cost of goods is now very high. Most lower income people cannot afford things. That is why we hope there can be diaologue and the president can sit down and reach and agreement. If he has to leave to stop the suffering then he should leave. And if he can stay, then good, because he has helped us too. Let’s just find what is best for the country.”
WIA Member #3
“My husband and son work in construction and they haven’t worked for a month. All the projects have stopped. Sometimes I feel stress seeing them all in the house with nothing to do. They have had to sell many of their tools so we can buy food. And my grandson needs his food and his milk and we as adults understand, we can go without food, but children don’t understand and can’t go without food.”
WIA Member #4
“My husband works unloading trucks. However, with the road blocks the trucks don’t arrive and there is no work. He said that he could quit his job and get severance pay so we can survive for now, but then he wonders if he can find another job later on. For now, he is keeping his job and just waiting until there is work. In the meantime we don’t have any food. On the news, there was a woman and her child up in a tree trying to avoid the violence.”
WIA Member #5
“I first, give thanks to God, because the word of God means that we have to always give thanks even in very difficult times, and what is happening is part of the word of God. The most important thing right now is the children because they suffer just like us. But adults—even if we don’t want to do something, in a hard situation, we haven’t taken money to participate in the roadblocks and haven’t participated in the looting of stores and supermarkets, some people do it because they need to feed 4 or more children and can’t let me die of hunger—what can they do? They are obligated to steal and I say I can understand in some ways. Sometimes we don’t have money for food, right now my grandson is not working but he finds some work here and there. But we haven’t fallen into that trap of taking money to work the roadblocks. We are just eating when we can, everything is more expensive. Now we can’t buy cheese because it is expensive, beans are really high, and sugar is 25 cordobas a pound (about US$.80), and people are starting to complain—how far is this going to go? Now we can’t afford basic supplies, now we can’t eat, and what can we do with the children? We adults can withstand hunger, we always have water at least. But the children? We hope this ends soon and we can find a peaceful solution.”
WIA Member #6
“Luckily my daughter is still working at a free trade zone. However, most days, armed men show up outside the factory, sometimes shooting at the factory and other times trying to close down the factory. They want to force us to participate in the strike. But so far, we workers have been able to fend these men off.”
WIA Member #7
“In my case, my husband hasn’t worked in about a month, because the construction projects have all stopped. I go around to different neighborhoods to find work washing clothes, but everyone says there isn’t any money. I found one house that said they could pay me for one day a week, but that doesn’t help much. Then I found work cleaning at a bar. I go at 8 and come back at 2:30 and she gives me 100 cordobas (about US$3.12). Sometimes I work for food and there is a women who will pay me with some food and basic supplies because she has a store. I tell people that I have no way to feed my children, I am not ashamed to ask and even beg people to give me some work cleaning or washing clothes. I will not just sit around while my children are hungry. So, I clean up the bar and wash clothes for food and that is what I can do. I hope everything gets better soon.”
WIA Member #8
“I am a Member of WIA and since the beginning of all this, there has been a big effect on the economy. For example, I have 3 children and I leave the city to sell clothing I make myself (on a sewing machine), but because of the roadblocks I cannot travel outside the city. I ask God to please bring a end to this crisis. I can’t work and I can’t feed my children. My husband works with his horse and buggy to transport construction materials for clients of a hardware store. The store is selling less and while he used to make 400 cordobas (about US$12,50) he now makes 100 (about US$3.12) a day. So, we can’t eat well with this salary. We hope and pray things will get better soon.”
CONTACT US
|
|
|
FOLLOW ME
|